Portable computing and communication are increasingly important in many environments including home and business contexts. Important portable computing and communication capabilities include worldwide roaming, location based services, data connectivity and the like. Improvements in computer and network architecture and functionality have continually improved the user experience. As a result, the use of such portable devices such as laptops, handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDA's) and mobile communication devices such as cellular phones and smartphones have become increasingly common. Currently, however, certain areas of portable technology fall short and prevent users from having full and rich experiences in portable computing and communication scenarios. For example, despite improvements in battery technology, users are still frustrated by the inability to use the laptop for an extended period of time without having to charge the battery. The lack of duration for portable devices is a prevalent and continuing problem and can lead to user frustration, loss of productivity, and lack of technology adoption by users.